9 CEOs Tell Modern CEO What They’re Thankful For

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During the past two years, Modern CEO has explored the skills and traits executives need to navigate today’s complex business environments. Leadership experts have argued that humility, authenticity, and resilience are essential to manage technological change, steer companies through geopolitical and economic uncertainty, and develop and retain talent.   Let’s add gratitude to that list. Author Chester Elton, whose work focuses on organizational culture, says high-performing teams and leaders embrace recognition. Gratitude wasn’t a “nice-to-have if you were to be a great leader. It was an absolute must-have.

With Thanksgiving upon us, the author asked dozens of CEOs to share what they’re grateful for. They universally thanked their employees, and some talked about the people—and pets—who provide them with support and inspiration outside the office. Here are just a few of the heartfelt responses: 

• Peter Chapman, president and CEO, IonQ.  “I am grateful to be alive during a period of such scientific discovery. Every day brings an announcement of a new breakthrough. And with the challenges ahead of us, we need these technologies to pave a way to a better future.” 
• Caren Cioffi, CEO, Agenda Hero.  “I am grateful to live in Silicon Valley, where the status quo is optimism, where people believe in what hasn’t been done yet, where it’s not a matter of if but when, and not a matter of whether it can be solved, but who will solve it. This optimism is unique, and my gratitude is evergreen.”
• Ivan Giraud, CEO, Bel Brands USA.  “I am grateful for the culture of care and openness fostered by the Bel U.S. team.
• Ben Goodwin, co-founder and CEO, Olipop.  “I’m deeply thankful for the incredible journey we’ve embarked on at Olipop. Our team’s passion and our community’s enthusiasm drive us to innovate and create a healthier soda. 
• Jay Jandrain, president and CEO, Butterball.  “I’m thankful for the time to slow down, gather with my loved ones, and share conversations and memories this Thanksgiving season. In my role at Butterball, I know firsthand the power of a great Thanksgiving gathering—and I’m grateful to be a part of an organization that brings people together around the table.” 
• Rosie Rios, CEO of Red River Associates and chair of America250.  “I’m thankful to my mother, who recently passed. She courageously left everything behind in Mexico to come to this great nation, raised me and my eight siblings as a single parent, and sent all nine of us to college. She made me feel that the American dream was a true reality.
• Kristin Peck, CEO, Zoetis.  “I have a lot to be grateful for, starting with my Zoetis colleagues, to my family, to my children, and I am also super grateful for my dogs.
• Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, CEO, Grammarly.  “This year, I had the opportunity to visit our incredible team members based out of Grammarly’s Kyiv hub. Grammarly was founded in Ukraine, so we have deep ties to the country and remain committed to supporting the people and our team members there through the war and the rebuilding to come.
• Alexa von Tobel, founder and managing partner, Inspired Capital.  “I’m so grateful to get to spend my days working at Inspired Capital with entrepreneurs who are trying to solve the world’s biggest problems. Seeing the world daily through that lens is a constant reminder of how much people care about humanity.